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| | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | Got a call from a friend last night. He found all the lifters in his 454 in his truck wiped out. I know the quick answer is the lack of zinc in the motor oil. He also noted that the rear of the cam gear had worn into the block. The motor was fresh about 4 years ago, 25,000 miles. It was done with a fresh crankshaft, .040 pistons, cam lifters and such. I'm just looking for ideas to pass his way. I've read many different points about the motor oil these days and just would like to offer him some other things to check out. Thanks Don | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 | This is taking the old brain back to where the fog starts getting really thick but I do recall something about 454's and valve train troubles, especially early 454's. I recall that a very small hole was drilled in the front oil galley plug (or plugs) that bled the trapped air out of the galley and also squirted oil on the back of the cam gear and timing chain. One of the other guys may recall more detail on this.
Evan
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats | | Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 | use diesel rated oil, it is the only oil left on the market with zinc in it. common problem with flat tappets. Infact, Audi and VW as well as Harley Davidson recommend diesel rated oil.
The problems we face today can not be addressed at the same level of intelligence we were at when we created them - Albert Einstein Or with the same level of $ - Me
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | Sounds more like a poor previous rebuild,
Scott | | | | | Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 128 | Flat tappet cam lobes are ground with a slight angle to them so the contact with the lifters will push the camshaft to the rear of the engine to prevent the camshaft from walking. I've read a fair amount recently where a billet steel cam gear will cause excessive wear on the front of the block. All the accounts I've read about involved both small and big block chevys. Some are recommending a thrust washer, others a torrington thrust bearing, and still others a cast cam gear. Any one of the three is supposed to fix the problem. Could it be another area affected by the reduction in Zinc?
John | | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | Solved.
coilover had it right. front oil galley plugs are supposed to have a .025 hole in them to oil front between cam gear and block. When this motor was redone the replacement plugs didn't have the hole in them. Once the cam started walking back and the cam gear digging into the block it got worse. Thats also why the lifters are wiped out, along with the main and rod bearings.
Thanks Again
Don | | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | So, I was right also! haha,
Scott | | |
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